Crises doing for Europe what everything else failed to do

EFFORTS to unite Europe and weld countries into a more powerful force to take its place in the world have not been very successful up to now.

But recent crises appear to be achieving what treaties and cajoling have failed to do. The leaders of the EU 27 meet in Brussels on Friday to discuss a united strategy before the November 17 global summit in Washington, which many hope will lay the foundation for new rules governing the global economy.

At the same time countries are grappling with their acknowledgement that climate change needs to be tackled, but they are reluctant to pay the cost and are desperately seeking ways to minimise it, including using it to create new jobs.